Justin Gainey officially introduced as new NC State men's basketball coach
· Yahoo Sports
North Carolina State University introduced former Wolfpack point guard Justin Gainey as the school's new men's basketball coach, marking a homecoming for a program veteran with deep North Carolina roots.
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Gainey, who played for the Wolfpack from 1996 to 2000 and later served as an assistant coach, was officially introduced Wednesday at the Lenovo Center. Gainey, welcomed into the room by the Power Sound of the South, received a standing ovation as he walked toward the stage.
"This is surreal. It's a surreal moment for me," Gainey said.
The High Point native has had a long and successful run as an assistant coach, most recently at Tennessee, where he was associate head coach under Rick Barnes.
Praised for his defensive strategy and recruiting ability, Gainey immediately garnered public support from alums in the aftermath of Will Wade's acrimonious exit. Throughout his remarks, Gainey preached toughness and character.
"Your passion, your pride, your determination to win at the highest level. And I'm excited, I'm excited more than you can believe to be here," Gainey said, addressing the fan base. "We're going to build this program which reflects your energy, your toughness, and your commitment."
This will be his first head coaching job.
Before Tennessee, Gainey worked at Elon, Appalachian State, Santa Clara, Arizona, and Marquette. But in a full-circle moment, he started his coaching journey at NC State, and also scored the first basket in the history of the Lenovo Center, where he'll now lead the team this fall.
The former point guard had been on NC State's short list of candidates during last year's coaching search and was believed to be among the finalists before the university hired Wade. Gainey has spent the past five seasons as an assistant at Tennessee.
"There's a responsibility that comes with leading your alma mater, and I embrace it fully," Justin Gainey said after the Board of Trustees approved his hiring.
Former NC State teammate Brian Keeter said Gainey's personality off the court never diminished his competitive drive.
"Justin has a baby face, always laughing, but he's also a killer," Keeter said. "I remember him taking it easy on me when I was new, helping me through the process."
This story will be updated. Watch for the latest beginning at 4 p.m. on Eyewitness News.